My writing

My belief in the power of the media as a positive force for change in nursing led me to write a student column for Nursing Mirror and then into full-time journalism, another of my career strands. I’ve edited Senior Nurse, Nursing Times and NMC Review and written numerous articles for the general and health press in the UK and overseas.

I’m also a widely published author. Mostly I write about healthcare, and have recently written articles on the current state of nursing worldwide and how nurses can get out from under. I am also working on a book chapter on global nursing issues with my Australian colleague Jill White.

I love running writing workshops, where I share my expertise to help people build their confidence and get into print. I've run writing masterclasses for Queen's Nurses, as part of my former role as a trustee of the Queen's Nursing Institute, and since 2013 I have held an innovative post as the first Writer in Residence at the School of Nursing, Kingston University and St George's, University of London. This involves a range of activities under the banner The Word is Nursing, including using literature to help students explore their feelings about their work, and encouraging them to write about it.

To ring the changes, I wrote a book called Skyros: island of dreams, about my experiences and others' stories at a holistic holiday centre on the remote Greek island of Skyros. Here are some unsolicited comments on it: ‘Jane Salvage has gathered together a stunning history of the Skyros phenomenon. A must-read for anyone involved in personal development’ – Malcolm Stern, TV presenter, psychotherapist and author. ‘Your love of the island comes shining out of every page. Makes me want to climb on a plane, howl at the moon and dance naked with the goat herders. Congratulations on your achievement’ – Tom, psychotherapist

Now, in my spare time, I'm slowly working on a publication on the extraordinary and mostly forgotten story of the legendary midwives who attended the births of Jesus, his mother, and many saints. It's a great excuse for visiting art galleries, churches and museums to see how artists retold this story down the centuries, and to ponder the question why these expert women were later ignored and forgotten.